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Bulldogs have five no-shows on first day
08/05/03
Huntsville Times
Coach Anthony Jones said five players failed to show up as Alabama A&M reported for practice Monday.
The list included wide receivers Walter Shearls, Travis Martin and Joktan Roberts, fullback James Washington and linebacker Lindell Edwards.
Jones said Martin was completing an internship and should report by Wednesday, but he was not sure about the other players.
"They'll have some explaining to do when they get here," he said.
Jones said 87 players reported for practice.
"We're reserving three spots for guys who may get straight in a day or two," he said.
One of those Jones said could be running back Trevis Oneal, a transfer from Alabama. Oneal, who's from Leeds, was an invited walk-on at Alabama, and is expected to challenge Jeremiah Bonds for playing time.
Academic casualties hit A&M: Eight or nine of A&M's 37 signees will be academically ineligible, Jones said.
Offensive lineman Chris Glasper, a transfer from Coahoma (Miss.) Junior College, is currently the lone known casualty.
Glasper, 6-foot-1 and 290 pounds, was being counted on to help solidify an offensive line that lost three starters a year ago.
"We were counting on him, but he didn't get it done in the classroom," Jones said.
Jones also is awaiting word on fullback Keith Glover, who played at Georgia Military College. With no proven backup behind Jonathan Rowland, Glover (6-1, 260) would have been a perfect fit in A&M's run game.
"We knew some of the kids we signed were going to be non-qualifiers," Jones said. "Those kids will come to school and be in our program for a year and we'll re-sign them. Some of them have not cleared by the (NCAA) Clearinghouse and we'll have 14 days or until we get a final read on them.
"Most of them should be straight. We've got a couple of them on the borderline."Good first impressions: Jones said he liked what he saw of his newcomers Monday.
Today, he gets his first look at them on the field when the Bulldogs hold their first practice.
"Some of them looked good," he said, "but sometimes you walk into a kitchen and the food looks good, but when you taste it, sometimes there's too much sugar or too much salt. You can't tell until you get down to the meat and potatoes and actually taste it.
"We've got to get them on the field and see how they respond," he said. "Looking at them, they look like a good bunch of guys."
Jones singled out some offensive linemen, including Jamaal Henry, Rod Johnson, Brandon Thornton, Brandon Bell and Lemuel Luckett, to name a few.
"Some of those guys may be forced to play," he said.
Reggie Benson
08/05/03
Huntsville Times
Coach Anthony Jones said five players failed to show up as Alabama A&M reported for practice Monday.
The list included wide receivers Walter Shearls, Travis Martin and Joktan Roberts, fullback James Washington and linebacker Lindell Edwards.
Jones said Martin was completing an internship and should report by Wednesday, but he was not sure about the other players.
"They'll have some explaining to do when they get here," he said.
Jones said 87 players reported for practice.
"We're reserving three spots for guys who may get straight in a day or two," he said.
One of those Jones said could be running back Trevis Oneal, a transfer from Alabama. Oneal, who's from Leeds, was an invited walk-on at Alabama, and is expected to challenge Jeremiah Bonds for playing time.
Academic casualties hit A&M: Eight or nine of A&M's 37 signees will be academically ineligible, Jones said.
Offensive lineman Chris Glasper, a transfer from Coahoma (Miss.) Junior College, is currently the lone known casualty.
Glasper, 6-foot-1 and 290 pounds, was being counted on to help solidify an offensive line that lost three starters a year ago.
"We were counting on him, but he didn't get it done in the classroom," Jones said.
Jones also is awaiting word on fullback Keith Glover, who played at Georgia Military College. With no proven backup behind Jonathan Rowland, Glover (6-1, 260) would have been a perfect fit in A&M's run game.
"We knew some of the kids we signed were going to be non-qualifiers," Jones said. "Those kids will come to school and be in our program for a year and we'll re-sign them. Some of them have not cleared by the (NCAA) Clearinghouse and we'll have 14 days or until we get a final read on them.
"Most of them should be straight. We've got a couple of them on the borderline."Good first impressions: Jones said he liked what he saw of his newcomers Monday.
Today, he gets his first look at them on the field when the Bulldogs hold their first practice.
"Some of them looked good," he said, "but sometimes you walk into a kitchen and the food looks good, but when you taste it, sometimes there's too much sugar or too much salt. You can't tell until you get down to the meat and potatoes and actually taste it.
"We've got to get them on the field and see how they respond," he said. "Looking at them, they look like a good bunch of guys."
Jones singled out some offensive linemen, including Jamaal Henry, Rod Johnson, Brandon Thornton, Brandon Bell and Lemuel Luckett, to name a few.
"Some of those guys may be forced to play," he said.
Reggie Benson
